A jury found Cynthia Stewart-Matzen of Belding guilty of arson Friday in Ionia County 8th Circuit Court.

The jury returned with a verdict around 7:20 p.m., after less than two hours of deliberation. Stewart-Matzen was accused of setting a fire using gasoline in the basement of the home she shared with her husband, Gerald Matzen, at 757 Root St. in Belding in the early hours of May 13, 2010.

Stewart-Matzen was charged with three counts of arson: arson of a dwelling, for setting fire to her home; arson of insured property, for setting the fire to her home with the intent to injure or defraud her insurance company; and arson – preparation to burn property worth $1,000 or more but less than $20,000, for using a flammable or combustible material to set her house on fire.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of up to 20 years, 10 years and five years respectively, plus fines, court costs and fees. Sentencing will be scheduled at a future date.

“In this case, the evidence is overwhelming,” said Ionia County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Lori Kirkhoff in her closing arguments. “(Stewart-Matzen) committed this crime of arson. She set the fire intentionally with an intent to get money. She was hoping to gain that mainly, but maybe even get rid of her husband in this case, so she could be free and have a happy life with the person she dreamed about.”

Kirkhoff told the jury Stewart-Matzen stood to gain almost $328,000, plus $1,300 a month in Social Security benefits for the rest of her life, if her husband had died in the fire, $100,000 from her home insurance policy if the house had burned down “and her freedom.”

Defense attorney Carrie Gallagher maintained that all the evidence presented was circumstantial, and that from the beginning investigators had concluded Stewart-Matzen committed the arson and did not adequately investigate other potential suspects or look into other explanations for the fire.

“I asked you to be skeptical and aware of biases witnesses may have,” Gallagher said in her closing arguments. “Fire officers, police officers and fire investigators are individuals. They may have a position of power and expertise, but they're human. They have bias. They made up their minds and had their conclusions.”

She said it was the state’s burden to prove Stewart-Matzen was guilty, not Stewart-Matzen’s to prove she was innocent.

“There are two questions,” Gallagher said. “Was the fire intentionally set, and if you conclude (the state) did meet that burden, then was it set by Cindy (Stewart-Matzen)?”

After two alternates were dismissed, the remaining jury members of four women and eight men decided it was.